[lbo-talk] I'll be voting in TX Dem primary - who should I vote for?

[John Thornton]

B. wrote:
>> I know there are very narrow parameters here, but of
>>     
> the two - HRC and BHO - which is the better, or should
> I use the dreaded term, "lesser evil." But, seriously,
> health care is a HUGE concern. And I've heard from
> Krugman, et. al., that Hillary's plan is better than
> Obama. Obama's alarmist Soc. Security rhetoric seemed
> to come from some GOP quarters -- is he really that
> worried or will he shore it up and not privatize the
> fucking thing?
>
>
> Obama is explicitly against privatization of SS.  He proposes to 'fix' it (which it doesn't need) with a tax on high wage earners.  HRC proposes a bipartisan commission to 'fix' it, the inevitable fruit of which would be some combination of tax increases and benefit cuts.
>
> IMO, there's nothing wrong with BHO's health care plan.  It's no worse than the others.
Obama's health plan has no mandates and Clinton's does. This is a 
difference worth noting but how it may translate into something tangible 
is a guess.
Obama says he is "personally" opposed to privatizing SS on his website 
but will not remove the idea from play whereas Clinton says this idea 
isn't "on the table".
Obama has a financial advisor he personally chose who favors privatizing 
SS (Jeffrey Liebman) so make of that what you will. Personally I feel 
his use of the term "personally opposed" is to leave himself wiggle room 
for partial privatization but I'm not a clairvoyant.
Obama opposes a sub-prime interest rate freeze and moratorium on 
foreclosures (last time I checked) while Clinton favors them.
No one can foretell how any of this will really shake out. Presidents do 
things they claim they oppose and don't do they they promise.
In the end Clinton is the lesser evil in my mind but as a non-white I 
have a big problem with Obama's claim that black's are 90% of the way 
towards being equal with white's. That angers me enough the rest is just 
background stuff. If blacks are 90% 'there' where are my 
people?-----91%?----- 89%?

John Thornton